CHAPTER EIGHT

"Murna, no you cannot be part of the MAJALISA!!" Kubra argued with her younger sister.

"ME YA SA BA ? " (Why not) Murna asked inquisitively.

" As a woman, your responsibility is to support the man and nuture your children not take his place." Kubra answered.

"So while Hasan becomes SARKI after UBA, what are we expected to do??" Murna asked again.

Kubra was out of answers for her younger sister, Murna always had alot of questions.

" How far have you gone in learning the Eastern and Western language and traditions?" Kubra asked trying to change the topic.

Murna frowned and sat beside her sister under the shade of the tree, she still did not understand why she needed to understand those people.

"I thought part of the treaty was for everyone to mind their business?" Murna asked.

" That is only part of the treaty" kubra answered her.

" Then tell me everything" Murna pleaded.

" Rashidah did not tell me the whole story , the last time" Murna complained.

" And SARAUNIYAA?" Kubra asked.

" She never completes the story" Murna answered.

" Fine but you must promise never to disturb me with your endless questions"

Murna pursed her lips and nodded her head in agreement.

Kubra cleared her throat and began the story.

" In the beginning there was nothing like the northern region, we were merely referred to as hausa states and the central region but when the war became more frequent we had to come together and fight hence the birth of the northern region, MUHTAR the first SARKI was the man behind the idea, our neighbors the Western empire, the Eastern kingdom and Southern land were constantly at war with us....

" There is a South" Murna asked obviously surprised.

Kubra glanced at her sister in annoyance.

" Don't interrupt" she scolded.

She sighed and continued "the war lasted for more than two centuries with no side emerging victorious, the major cause of the war was land and territory but the last war dealt with us the most, the northern region was almost destroyed, the SARKI of that time lost a leg in that final war, the Western empire lost their ruler, the Eastern kingdom lost more than half of their war men and the most of the Southerners ended up homeless the result of the last war was devastating and the people cried out to their rulers to seek peace hence the birth of the treaty". Kubra concluded.

Murna turned to face her sister.

" Is that all?" She asked

"Not really, after the war the people of the central region also know as the people of TIIJI wanted to go their separate ways but we refused because their past leaders agreed to become one with us" Kubra added.

" Is that why we constantly fight them in battle"Murna asked.

Kubra nodded in response.

"Wow,that is ridiculous!! Murna exclaimed

Kubra chuckled and tilted her head to the left to get a better view of her sisters face, she wore a funny expression.

" As for as I am concerned, there is nothing dialogue cannot fix and if the people of TIIJI want to leave then let them leave infact that's less people to worry about if you ask me". Murna stated.

" Is that all?" Murna asked again.

Kubra nodded in response.

" JI DADI"(Please) I know that's not all, tell me all about it " Murna pleaded while tugging Kubra's arm.

" Murna you are supposed to know all these but no instead of listening to the scholars you are either running around with Latifah and Habibah or you are insisting on attending the MAJALISA" Kubra complained.

" But they make it sound so boring and even you know that" Murna stated and pouted her lips.

" Ok fine" Kubra finally agreed

" When the treaty was made, Kubra continued, there was an exchange of weapons, war bracelets, attires and other things that represented the respective kingdoms it was then agreed that certain people should be chosen to stay in each of the kingdoms for a specific period of time so that the members of the Royal family and a selected few could learn the different languages, everyone agreed to these except the southerns they left and we have not heard anything from them since then.

"So where are all these things located"Murna asked eagerly.

"The Royal archive" kubra responded.

"So can you speak the other languages?" Murna asked again.

" Not fluently , the goal is to actually understand , speaking the language is majorly the next King's responsibility, in case you are wondering how we still have people that understand the other languages, the title of Scholar is passed on by the previous generation to the next."

Murna was about to ask another question but was interrupted by her mother calling.

Jamilah smiled as she watched her daughter run towards her, she had been watching her together with Mansurah the SABU WAR MATA( second wife) . Murna had insisted on coming to the palace garden , to her she felt the children had made an unwritten agreement to meet at the palace garden in the evening.

" UWA( mother), are we going back now? Murna asked.

Jamilah searched her daughter's face it was obvious she didn't want to leave.

" Murna , I cannot allow you to spend the night here", Jamilah chuckled.

" UWA, JI DADI( Mother, please)" Murna pleaded.

"Murna..."

" BARI TA TSAYA " ( Let her stay)"

Murna turned towards the direction of the voice, it was Mansurah, Jamilah had forgotten that she was still there.

" Mansurah, no please she cannot stay" Jamilah disagreed.

"ME YA SA BA?",(Why not?) Mansurah asked her as walked forward and stood in front of Jamilah.

" When was the last time she slept in my quarters? Jamilah asked

Mansurah smiled and shook her head , Jamilah had a point. She could not remember the last time Murna slept in her mother's quarters.

" What a pleasant surprise"

Jamilah and Mansurah turned and bowed slightly.

Nabilah smiled in response, she was just coming back from the King's quarters and was surprised to see the other wives outside especially Mansurah.

Mansurah , the SABU WAR MATA( Second wife) to the SARKI was the most quiet of all the King's four wives, it was rare to find her outside her own quarters as she always kept to herself.

Mansurah was very dark skinned and smallish in stature, she had small eyes that seemed to close whenever she smiled in contrast to Jamilah who was tall, light skinned with round eyes.

"SARAUNIYAA, my mother doesn't want me to stay with Kubra " Murna reported.

" Murna don't !!" her mother scolded.

" Murna I am sure your mother has her reason, you should listen to her" Nabilah adviced.

" Jamilah will one more night hurt" Mansurah asked.

" JI DADI( please) , JI DADI( please), JI DADI ( please) "Murna kept begging.

" Alright" Jamilah agreed.

" NA GODE , UWA"( thank you mother)

Murna ran to meet Kubra and shared the good news and together they left the palace garden.

The women watched them leave with smile on their faces, they may not have come from the same womb but it was nice to see them get along.

" You were blessed with three daughters, Mansurah but you have successfully taken mine also"Jamilah teased.

" Jamilah she's a child you don't expect her to be happy alone In your quarter she needs to be around children" Mansurah replied quietly.

" Do you think there will peace in your quarter tonight Mansurah?" Nabilah asked.

" SARAUNIYAA, I have three daughters there is never peace, it's either Kubra is scolding Latifah or Rashidah is complaining about how none of the servant girls respect her desires as a princess" Mansurah replied.

" Murna alone is a handful, it's hard to keep her in one place are you sure about this" Jamilah asked in concern.

" I already have three, one more won't make a difference besides there is Kubra to keep her in check" Mansurah assured her.

"Jamilah and SARAUNIYAA I shall take my leave now" Mansurah announced.

" How is the king?" Jamilah asked after Mansurah left.

" He is fine" Nabilah answered.

" Is everything okay?" Jamilah asked again.

" Everything is fine , what do you think is wrong?" Nabilah asked getting a bit uncomfortable.

" The number of guards in my quarters has increased, not only that the only reason I'm here freely is because I'm in the garden and the guards that watch over the King's chamber can see us from up there" Jamilah stated her observations in almost a whisper.

" Nothing is wrong" Nabilah held her hands in assurance and forced a smile.

As Jamilah watched Nabilah leave she could not help but feel something was wrong. There was something unsettling about Nabilah's response.